Search found 194 matches

by deci02
Sat May 14, 2022 9:09 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Vanguard website broken. No new accounts???
Replies: 56
Views: 9616

Re: Vanguard website broken. No new accounts???

Been having nothing but trouble with my Vanguard mutual funds account site since yesterday using my usual browser. Pages won't load or if they do seem to take forever. Can't log on half the time. Tried a different browser where I emptied the caches & cookies & allowed popups. Works a little better in that some pages finally load but only after very long waits. The old traditional balances & holdings format landing page sometimes loads quickly but won't let me transact. if I choose the link to the new balances & holdings format under My Accounts it loads very slowly if at all. I did a test transaction on the newer format page once it finally managed to load before cancelling. It worked but again took a very long time. So not ...
by deci02
Thu Mar 18, 2021 2:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Form 1116 IRS bug & e-file software rejections
Replies: 2
Views: 399

Form 1116 IRS bug & e-file software rejections

Just checked in to see if there is any consensus on whether it is possible to e-file this year without getting rejected if you have Form 1116 in your return? There is a known bug flagged by the IRS for their free fillable forms which from perusing Boglehead posts other e-file services have possibly been contending with. (See link below) Have users of Turbotax, H&R Block or other e-file software solved the Form 1116 rejection issue? Were downloaded desktop software versions any better than the online versions in dealing with it? Thanks. https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms-help#knownsoftware Known Software Issues When we discover an issue, we post it in the table. If you find your issue in the table revisit this ...
by deci02
Thu Jan 12, 2017 4:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit report errors
Replies: 16
Views: 1413

Re: Credit report errors

mhalley wrote:There are thousands of credit cards (and credit unions) out there. Problem is easily solved by voting with your feet.
I would also recommend having a minimum of 2 major credit cards.
Pushed a little with my credit union about my problem and they they think they've discovered a format error on their end. They're also offering me free access to Experian to check what credit limit they're seeing for a few months until everyone is sure the problem is solved.

Hopefully this will do the trick but I do think getting one additional credit card is a good idea.
by deci02
Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:13 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit report errors
Replies: 16
Views: 1413

Re: Credit report errors

HueyLD wrote:
you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. You can file a complaint online or via phone or mail:

Online:
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint

Phone:
(855) 411-CFPB (2372)

Mail:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
P.O. Box 4503
Iowa City, Iowa 52244

You should also file the same complaint with your state Attorney General.
https://www.nclc.org/images/pdf/older_c ... report.pdf
Thanks for the info.
by deci02
Thu Jan 12, 2017 5:38 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit report errors
Replies: 16
Views: 1413

Re: Credit report errors

whodidntante wrote:Is it BoA? I've heard that some credit card issuers don't report your updates in a way that allows for what you want. It might be easier to get a 1 or 2 more cards, from a different issuer, than to try and beat the bureaus into submission.
Issuer is a local community credit union. I only encounter the problem with Experian. The other two major bureaus report accurately.
by deci02
Thu Jan 12, 2017 5:10 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit report errors
Replies: 16
Views: 1413

Re: Credit report errors

Pajamas wrote:Is the problem with the credit bureau or with the bank who issues the card and feeds the information to them?

Is it one of those credit cards that does not have a pre-set spending limit? Some of them even tell you what your limit is, but it is not "official" and isn't reported.
No it has a monthly reported pre-set credit limit. I don't know where the problem is. Issuer & Experian point the blame at each other. As I said the other bureaus are able to get the information from the issuer processed correctly however. Very frustrating.
by deci02
Thu Jan 12, 2017 5:06 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit report errors
Replies: 16
Views: 1413

Re: Credit report errors

whodidntante wrote:... It might be easier to get a 1 or 2 more cards, from a different issuer, than to try and beat the bureaus into submission.
BTW if the problem is with Experian I'm not even sure another card from another issuer wouldn't encounter the same problem if, for instance, there's some persistent data entry mix up on the template Experian uses for me in their computer system. Experian always corrects it temporarily when I dispute but that may be a different reporting template used only for disputes rather than the regular reports. I'm in the dark on all this. Experian roundly denies any culpability saying the issuer is reporting incorrectly whenever I question them on why this keeps happening.
by deci02
Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:08 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit report errors
Replies: 16
Views: 1413

Re: Credit report errors

It's a credit card. Revolving credit with a monthly limit. I do always pay off the balance each month however to avoid interest rate charges.
by deci02
Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Credit report errors
Replies: 16
Views: 1413

Credit report errors

Any ideas how to solve a problem where one of the credit bureaus (Experian) incorrectly uses my high balance on a credit card as my credit limit thus giving me a false high utilization rate and dinging my credit score? The other two major bureaus always report the correct limit. When I dispute it with Experian they initially correct the credit limit within 30 days on the free report generated by the dispute. But then the same credit limit conflation with high balance happens again in later reports. When I squawk the bureau says it’s the issuer’s fault. The issuer (my credit union) says it’s the bureau’s fault. So I dispute it again with Experian, get a corrected credit limit report within 30 days, months later I check again and get the same...
by deci02
Thu Mar 17, 2016 1:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tub Cleaning Issue - Soap Scum
Replies: 32
Views: 9679

Re: Tub Cleaning Issue - Soap Scum

daveatca wrote:1. Stop using soap. It contains fats. Start using body wash. A significant reduction in residue.
http://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashio ... ody-wash-0

2. Try a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Scrub after letting it sit.
Mixture of baking soda & vinegar can work too.
by deci02
Mon Mar 14, 2016 10:14 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Life Expectancy Percentiles
Replies: 14
Views: 5834

Re: Life Expectancy Percentiles

MIpreRetirey wrote:
So I am saying that the probability of a 60 year old male living to 90 is about 20%, to 100 about 1%.
--I'd say. Others confirm.
..
At age 60, there are 85,995 still alive (16.29% died in first 60 years)
--Typo: s/b 14.005% have died.

That table is for the ages in 2011, not 2016.
Current SS longevity calculator -

https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/population/longevity.html
by deci02
Sat Feb 06, 2016 2:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: upgrade OS on older MAC?
Replies: 33
Views: 3682

Re: upgrade OS on older MAC?

As I understand it, Apple has a history of still providing support & security updates to the two previous incarnations of whatever OS is current. So as of now Mavericks & Yosemite are still supported along with the current El Capitan. OS 10.12 is rumored for late 2016 at which point Mavericks will likely lose support. New Macs are rumored for late 2016 as well and probably will come with 10.12.

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/12/31/wha ... e-in-2016/
by deci02
Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: IRS IP PIN Received Today but for Tax Year 2014?
Replies: 36
Views: 7323

Re: IRS IP PIN Received Today but for Tax Year 2014?

posted on IRS site: Understanding Your CP01A Notice This notice tells you about the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) we sent you. Due to an error, taxpayers are receiving Identity Protection PIN letters with an incorrect year listed. Taxpayers and tax professionals should be advised the IP PIN listed on the CP01A Notice dated January 4, 2016 is valid for use on all individual tax returns filed in 2016. The notice incorrectly indicates the IP PIN issued is to be used for filing the 2014 tax return when the number is actually to be used for the 2015 tax return. The IRS emphasizes the IP PIN listed on the CP01A notice is valid for the 2015 returns. Taxpayers and their tax professionals should use this PIN number for ...
by deci02
Tue Jul 14, 2015 10:47 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 5 year CD @ 2.4% - a good deal?
Replies: 32
Views: 6434

Re: 5 year CD @ 2.4% - a good deal?

Kevin M wrote:
Of course, there's always the caveat that a bank or credit union could deny an early withdrawal, or increase the early withdrawal penalty on existing CDs.
Kevin, interested in your opinion on any increased likelihood of banks exercising this early withdrawal denial option should rates increase significantly. We haven’t seen that kind of environment for quite some time.

I see pros and cons for the banks on this. Obviously it would stop a mass exodus and protect against paying higher rates. But it would hurt their reputation and competiveness. Also they would still recoup some ot their loss with penalties.

What say you?

Thanks.
by deci02
Sat May 30, 2015 10:43 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone Trying to Login to Vanguard?
Replies: 22
Views: 2976

Re: Anyone Trying to Login to Vanguard?

Couldn’t get in using my old log in bookmark on Firefox. Tried log in from vanguard.com homepage & also failed. Worked fine with Chrome. Went back to Firefox, deleted all Vanguard cookies and tried log in from Vanguard.com homepage again. Worked. Set up a new log in bookmark from Vanguard log in page, retried, worked again.
by deci02
Fri Feb 20, 2015 1:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Rebalancing, risks, and bear market implications
Replies: 6
Views: 1453

Re: Rebalancing, risks, and bear market implications

Yes, sounds like William Sharpe’s take . My understanding of Sharpe’s view is that when the market tumbles during a bear it's telling you there's more risk. Participants are demanding a higher expected return on their money to take that increased risk. So the price per share goes down. The market has priced risk for you. Same thing goes when buyers drive prices higher. Participants are demanding less expected return as they perceive reduced risk. So kind of an inverse relationship. Absent rebalancing, your allocated dollar weighting changes but risk and expected return remain more of a constant. More "less risky" stocks = less "more risky" stocks. Rebalancing is a contrarian move that changes one's risk profile. William...
by deci02
Fri Feb 20, 2015 12:35 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Rebalancing, risks, and bear market implications
Replies: 6
Views: 1453

Re: Rebalancing, risks, and bear market implications

Yes, sounds like William Sharpe’s take.

My understanding of Sharpe’s view is that when the market tumbles during a bear it's telling you there's more risk. Participants are demanding a higher expected return on their money to take that increased risk. So the price per share goes down. The market has priced risk for you.

Same thing goes when buyers drive prices higher. Participants are demanding less expected return as they perceive reduced risk.

So kind of an inverse relationship. Absent rebalancing, your allocated dollar weighting changes but risk and expected return remain more of a constant. More "less risky" stocks = less "more risky" stocks.

Rebalancing is a contrarian move that changes one's risk profile.
by deci02
Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:10 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anti-virus software on my MAC?
Replies: 20
Views: 2634

Re: Anti-virus software on my MAC?

As an extra precaution I’ve also disabled Flash due to it’s notorious zero day security vulnerabilites and have HTML5 as my default vid player in all browsers. I do still update Flash but if I find I still need to use it I usually rely on the automatically updated native pepper Flash plugin in Chrome as I’ve read it’s more effectively sandboxed. Mostly I don’t miss Flash. Less memory hogging and clutter.

BTW I make no claims on being a computer expert but since all the cyber security stuff is troubling I do read up on it and make a judgement on which seem the most knowledgeable info sources. Kind of a jungle out there.
by deci02
Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anti-virus software on my MAC?
Replies: 20
Views: 2634

Re: Anti-virus software on my MAC?

See Linc Davis reply. (4th one down)

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6801450
by deci02
Mon Feb 09, 2015 7:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Health Insurer, Anthem, Hacked
Replies: 100
Views: 17840

Re: Health Insurer, Anthem, Hacked

Latest from Krebs. Fairly detailed forensics again pointing towards China.

http://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/02/anth ... pril-2014/
by deci02
Sat Feb 07, 2015 7:49 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: When 60/40 just isn't appropriate
Replies: 182
Views: 35108

Re: When 60/40 just isn't appropriate

Nisi, Thanks for sharing your research. I've always been on the conservative side, particularly for a younger accumulator. What did you find to be optimum for large caps and intermediate term bonds? Thanks! The list of caveats on this stuff is so long I don't really want to post details. Everything depends on endpoints, those silly MPT curves writhe around like worms when you change the endpoints. It's also sensitive to the assumed return of the riskless asset. I'm not totally clear on the relationships between the SBBI "long-term government bond," "long-term corporate bond," and "intermediate-term government bond" series data, and what you would see in real life in a mutual fund. I'm interested in it intellec...
by deci02
Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Earthquake Preparedness
Replies: 40
Views: 3909

Re: Earthquake Preparedness

I often hear stats in the news like there is an x% chance of a big earthquake in the Bay Area during the next ___ number of years. The Bay Area is big, though, and all locations are not likely to experience major damage. For example, there was a relatively big earthquake last night in the area yet no damage to most parts of the Bay Area. It would be helpful to know what the chances are that a particular home would experience earthquake damage in the next however many years. I know that the location of the home would play an important factor but even some kind of "average" risk to a Bay Area home picked randomly would be handy in figuring out if earthquake insurance makes sense. Fate is capricious but here’s a hazard map. Can zoom...
by deci02
Mon Jul 07, 2014 1:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Animal battle Round 7: Raccoon pooping near house
Replies: 39
Views: 6580

Re: Animal battle Round 7: Raccoon pooping near house

Had a raccoon latrine problem at a rental some years back. Landlord cleaned it up and dusted area heavily with cayenne pepper. Also installed a scarecrow sprinkler. This solved the problem. Not sure if It has recurred. Moved from there a few months afterwards. http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1349750216&sr=1-1&keywords=scarecrow+sprinkle Dusting with cayenne is actually a good idea. I can get bags of stuff for cheap and it would be rather painful enough to be a deterrent. I doubt water bothers raccoons though. Paul Sprinkler is motion activated, unpredictable. Surprises them with forceful spray. Imagine getting hit by a rainbird full force. Sprinkle...
by deci02
Sat Jul 05, 2014 2:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Animal battle Round 7: Raccoon pooping near house
Replies: 39
Views: 6580

Re: Animal battle Round 7: Raccoon pooping near house

Had a raccoon latrine problem at a rental some years back. Landlord cleaned it up and dusted area heavily with cayenne pepper. Also installed a scarecrow sprinkler. This solved the problem. Not sure if it has recurred. Moved from there a few months afterwards.

http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Sc ... w+sprinkle
by deci02
Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:58 am
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: Pet peeve: When people refer to this forum as "Boggleheads."
Replies: 36
Views: 14849

Re: Pet peeve: When people refer to this forum as "Bogglehea

Spirit Rider wrote:
Langkawi wrote:Literacy is not a strong point of this forum. How many posts have you seen about iBonds, Warren Buffet, bond principle?
You can drag the C programmer out of the dungeon, but you cannot teach him new variable naming rules. If Sister Mary Margret couldn't get me to stop writing with my left hand by whacking it with a ruler.

As I defiantly stare back and pick up the pencil with my left hand and write iBonds, iBonds, iBonds.
My theory on this particular malapropism is it reveals the triumph of Steve Jobs marketing terminology. The mind defaults to the pervasive.
by deci02
Mon Jan 27, 2014 5:48 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: [Need help finding health insurance in CA]
Replies: 54
Views: 4190

Re: Most expensive [coverdca.com plan] & no doctors accept i

Alex, thank you for unlocking this thread. I need this information. My best advice to the OP: Find a local ACA certified health insurance agent to talk to. They typically will be long time insurance agents who have applied and passed the certification requirements for giving advice on and/or enrollment in the new ACA health insurance plans. They should have the most experience and up-to-date info. Unfortunately that still doesn't mean they will have a completely clear picture yet themselves, but they should be able to answer many of your questions. You can change plans if you wish anytime prior to 3/31/14 (end of the open enrollment period for 2014). You can search for an agent near you here: https://www.coveredca.com/enrollment-assistance/
by deci02
Mon Jan 27, 2014 5:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: [Need help finding health insurance in CA]
Replies: 54
Views: 4190

Re: Most expensive [coverdca.com plan] & no doctors accept i

It's a muddle. All but grandfathered plans (specific plans enrolled in prior to 3/2010 and held unchanged since) must be ACA compliant whether purchased through the Covered CA exchange or directly from the insurer. The OP has no choice but to buy an ACA compliant plan. Typically an insurer's ACA compliant network for individual & family policies has been narrowed and is identical regardless of whether purchased in or outside of the exchange. They are squeezing the providers by cuts to reimbursement rates. One rationalization they offer is they need to recoup liabilities due to now having to sell to customers with pre-existing conditions. Many doctors reportedly are still feeling their way on whether to climb on board. Both insurers and ...
by deci02
Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:22 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Do people rebalance too quickly?
Replies: 43
Views: 3860

Re: Do people rebalance too quickly?

Why would you want a fixed percentage allocation? The usual answer is to have a fixed amount of risk, but that assumes the relative risk of stocks and bonds (and their subsets) have constant amounts of risk, which is not likely to be true. The other typical answer is to generate a rebalancing bonus, but at best that requires an odd definition of bonus or rare market conditions. "The message is that investors should not be slavishly rebalancing over time. There is a better way, which is to invest taking into account current market values." Bill Sharpe, http://www.stanford.edu/~wfsharpe/art/apinterview.pdf Richard, You raise a reasonable point. Here's how I see it: You set an AA and invest in it. Stocks crash. If so, stocks are now...
by deci02
Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:59 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Do people rebalance too quickly?
Replies: 43
Views: 3860

Re: Do people rebalance too quickly?

Why would you want a fixed percentage allocation? The usual answer is to have a fixed amount of risk, but that assumes the relative risk of stocks and bonds (and their subsets) have constant amounts of risk, which is not likely to be true. The other typical answer is to generate a rebalancing bonus, but at best that requires an odd definition of bonus or rare market conditions. "The message is that investors should not be slavishly rebalancing over time. There is a better way, which is to invest taking into account current market values." Bill Sharpe, http://www.stanford.edu/~wfsharpe/art/apinterview.pdf Richard, You raise a reasonable point. Here's how I see it: You set an AA and invest in it. Stocks crash. If so, stocks are now...
by deci02
Mon Jan 13, 2014 3:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dumb Mac Question [Adobe reader problem]
Replies: 30
Views: 2896

Re: Dumb Mac Question [Adobe reader problem]

Have used Preview for fillable IRS PDF's. Works fine. Hmm. I just checked my 2011 tax return. I could add information using Preview, but I noted that my social security number came as xxxxxxxxx in Preview, but xxx | xx | xxxx in Reader, the vertical bars being part of the form. Preview just wrote over the bars. In other words, Preview treated the three spaces for entering your SSN as one single space, while Reader treated it as three. Reader also spaced them out, e.g., the first xxx was x__x__x |. The rest looked OK, but I only checked the 1040 and not the other forms. P.S. The tax software I use uses xxx - xx - xxxx, but doesn't print the vertical bars. sscritic, yes now that you mention it I remember that's a glitch with Preview. Last ti...
by deci02
Mon Jan 13, 2014 3:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dumb Mac Question [Adobe reader problem]
Replies: 30
Views: 2896

Re: Dumb Mac Question [Adobe reader problem]

sscritic wrote:How does preview handle fillable forms? I think the reason I installed Reader was to fill out the IRS fillable forms the year I did my taxes by hand. This was not in a browser of course.

For plain reading outside a browser, I use Skim. If I want to read more than two sentences of an IRS publication, I will download it and read it on my own computer, not in a browser window.
Have used Preview for fillable IRS PDF's. Works fine.
by deci02
Sun Dec 08, 2013 2:38 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: buy/hold vs. buy/hold/rebalance
Replies: 64
Views: 8041

Re: buy/hold vs. buy/hold/rebalance

cowboyj65 wrote:It is not intuitively evident to me how changing the percentage of my portfolio in a sector that is currently doing well (or not doing well), in order to get back to my AA, is better in the “long term” than just “holding”.

I assume there are analyses of historical data that suggest an advantage to periodic re-balancing. My review of our wiki finds discussions of “what” and “how”, but not “why”. Did I miss it?
William Sharpe's views on rebalancing vs straightforward buy and hold are available at these links. You might find it interesting reading if you have the time.

http://www.indiceperu.com/lecturas/paper09.pdf

http://www.stanford.edu/~wfsharpe/retecon/wfsaaap.pdf

http://www.stanford.edu/~wfsharpe/art/apinterview.pdf
by deci02
Fri Dec 06, 2013 12:44 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Dividend Distributions - When?
Replies: 3
Views: 755

Re: Vanguard Dividend Distributions - When?

Looks like they'll be giving preliminary income and dividend estimates 12/9.

https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insigh ... ule-102013
by deci02
Mon Nov 18, 2013 8:54 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Rebalancing Versus Pure B&H performance
Replies: 22
Views: 2409

Re: Rebalancing Versus Pure B&H performance

JW Nearly Retired wrote:
BBL wrote:Does your analysis include the allocation adjustment that VG made to the lifestrategy series by increasing the international allocation? I'd have to look but I believe that happened in late 2010 and would influence your results.
I don't believe they included it until 2013. The VG international bond fund they are using in VSMGX now (VTIBX) has a May 2013 inception date.

The analysis done ends at 1/1/2013.
JW
I believe BBL is referring to stocks. Fund benchmark used 10% int'l until 12/15/10. So using 18% int'l over the whole period of your study isn't apples to apples. Int'l outperformed domestic much of this time. You can see the benchmark history on Vanguard's overview tab on the fund page.
by deci02
Sat Nov 16, 2013 9:37 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Crazy Talk
Replies: 7
Views: 2261

Re: Crazy Talk

Thread prompted me to look back at this Ellis piece I'd saved a few years back that includes suggested allocations by age. Not as aggressive as the quote attributed in the OP, but he was definitely an advocate of a healthy weighting in equities in this 2010 article.

http://www.kiplinger.com/article/invest ... folio.html
by deci02
Fri Sep 20, 2013 11:06 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How do you compare with other investors your age?
Replies: 50
Views: 9666

How do you compare with other investors your age?

From Vanguard Retirement Planning, for those who love data points (and you know who you are). Not sure if this has been posted here previously.

http://t.co/8OIOeZy4GQ
by deci02
Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:08 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Videos Streaming SO SLOW and I have TURBO Internet
Replies: 6
Views: 1157

Re: Videos Streaming SO SLOW and I have TURBO Internet

I have turbo Internet with Time Warner cable and yet when I try to stream Hulu it's always so choppy. It's so frustrating paying for fast Internet am not getting good video. Could it be my computer or what?! Thanks!! First thing I'd try is a reboot of your cable modem (and router if you use one). Modems with built in battery backups will have a reboot button or hole you stick a pin in usually on the back panel. For the router simply hitting the off button or disconnecting the power cable will suffice. Wait until the modem reboots then turn the router back on and wait for it to reboot. This resolved a similar problem for me. My connection was experiencing small transient outages due to the connection becoming degraded. Online speed tests do...
by deci02
Fri Jun 14, 2013 9:56 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bogle: Too Much In Bonds
Replies: 115
Views: 14169

Re: Bogle: Too Much In Bonds

He has said several times (thanks EyeDee for finding the references) that pensions and SS should be looked at as bond-like investments. There have been several threads/discussions on this forum about how this would/should impact the asset allocation and (which for me is the more difficult part) what "bond value" to put on an income stream such as a pension or SS. If I recall well, when Mr. Bogle was asked this question, he suggested to multiply the annual income stream x 11, but stated that others are making the argument to multiply the annual income stream x14. You are right, this leads to a more aggressive asset allocation in retirement, Could you give an example of exactly how this might would work in the allocation of bonds t...
by deci02
Thu May 23, 2013 10:37 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Bogle on Soc Sec/Fixed Income and Asset Allocation
Replies: 28
Views: 3118

Re: Bogle on Soc Sec/Fixed Income and Asset Allocation

Here's a link to an earlier thread. [url]http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=99826&f=10 [/url] Yup, he really does say to include the present value of Social Security and pensions. Of course, now that interest rates are lower, Social Security is worth more. Using data from immediateannuities.com, my calculation is that a $20,000 primary benefit for a couple, both reaching full retirement age at 66, is worth about $610,000. Here's an updated link to the Scott Burn's Bogle interview referenced on that older Boglehead thread you've cited. Link on that thread redirects to a different Burns article than the one posters were referring to at the time. http://assetbuilder.com/scott_burns/bogle_to_retirees_don%E2%80%98t_do_something...
by deci02
Sun May 12, 2013 2:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: tax friendly states for retirees
Replies: 97
Views: 12224

Re: tax friendly states for retirees

Managed to find a current link for a Kiplinger piece I found on MSN Money back in 2003. Liked it as a quick preliminary comparison (prior to one's own due diligence) using income, property & sales taxes. Keep in mind article is 10 years old.

http://www.liveinde.com/placestoretire.htm
by deci02
Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:26 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Shiller PE vs. Interest Rates
Replies: 4
Views: 1107

Re: Shiller PE vs. Interest Rates

Shiller: "... I would be inclined to tilt actually more into stocks in my portfolio ..."

Wide ranging interview:

http://www.wealthtrack.com/transcript_03-29-2013.php
by deci02
Sat Mar 09, 2013 10:29 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Ally Bank: Poor Showing On Fed's Stress Test
Replies: 18
Views: 5319

Re: Ally Bank: Poor Showing On Fed's Stress Test

Blues wrote:
deci02 wrote:A review of the test result.

http://www.depositaccounts.com/blog/201 ... -bank.html
FWIW, that review had already been linked in the original post.
Oops! Well I guess I can't "stress" that link enough! :oops:
by deci02
Thu Feb 07, 2013 12:25 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Finally arrived: The Vanguard Total International Bond Fund
Replies: 187
Views: 40556

Re: Finally arrived: The Vanguard Total International Bond F

Wondering how much the foreign tax credit comes into play with international bonds? Due to my international stock holdings I'm already having to carryover amounts of the credit (IRS Form 1116).

Seems like having to continually defer some of the credit amount year after year would be an additional cost of this new fund to me if held in taxable. This cost would be less favorable to bear in the lower return fixed income allocation of a portfolio than in the potentially higher return of foreign equities IMO.

Any comments from those who hold international bonds in taxable or are educated on this subject would be most appreciated.
by deci02
Fri Jan 04, 2013 2:58 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Take capital gains this year
Replies: 44
Views: 4106

Re: Take capital gains this year

As far as I know, the 250K (500K for couples) capital gains exemption still applies for sale of a primary residence in which you have lived at least an aggregate of 2 out of the last 5 years. Only cap gains in excess of the exemption would be added to your taxable income. Right. The point is that I don't live in it any more. I have been out of it for a year. That is why there is the pressure to sell in the next 2 years to avoid the tax. I want to keep it as a rental property. I don't want to sell in the next two years to avoid the tax, or ever move back into it to avoid the tax. Ah! I see. Well, as for your wistful hopes regarding staggering the taxes you'll incur selling the place in the future, and my lacking knowledge of any concrete ta...
by deci02
Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:22 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Take capital gains this year
Replies: 44
Views: 4106

Re: Take capital gains this year

Good. I am retired and most years I am in the 15% bracket. There is one thing I need to figure out. I own a house, which I moved out of a year ago. I bought it for $80K and it is now worth $250K. If I sell it in the next 2 years there are no taxes, but after that cap gain taxes will apply. The year I sell it I will be in a higher tax bracket because of the sale and will owe lots of cap gains taxes. I don't want to sell it in the next two years just to avoid the taxes. I wish there was some way to spread the profit from the sale over several years, to avoid all the taxes. As far as I know, the 250K (500K for couples) capital gains exemption still applies for sale of a primary residence in which you have lived at least an aggregate of 2 out ...
by deci02
Fri Jan 04, 2013 10:49 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Take capital gains this year
Replies: 44
Views: 4106

Re: Take capital gains this year

tc101 wrote:Does the tax deal that passed in congress on Jan. 1 mean that cap gains rates for people in the 15% bracket will remain at 0% for 2013?
Yes, according to this. In fact it is permanent until Congress legislates otherwise.

http://t.co/9WehDiej